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AUSTIN, Texas - Precourt Sports Ventures is giving us a glimpse of what a Major League Soccer stadium would look like in Austin.
Tuesday they unveiled their site plan at McKalla Place near the Domain.
The plot of land is nearly 25 acres. Of course it will hold a soccer stadium, but the company designed it to be a place for Austinites to live, work and play any day of the week.
From Major League Soccer, to open park land and music performance space Precourt Sports Ventures has turned the design of a traditional soccer stadium into a multi-purpose stadium.
"To create access for all Austinites, who can come to the soccer park on any day of the week and enjoy walkability, push a stroller, throw a Frisbee in the park area, not just to attend a soccer match," Dave Greeley, president, Precourt Sports Ventures.
They've had their eye on several different sites but say McKalla place in North Austin is ideal. Precourt is submitting a proposal to the city by June 1st.
"It fits in really well with the whole North Burnet-Gateway project, it's adjacent to the Domain, it's adjacent to five breweries within a 10-minute walk. Austin is the largest market in America without major league sports and we think its time for that to change," says Greeley.
Columbus Crew plans to have around 17 home games, mostly Saturdays and Sundays. Although there is a lot of support regarding having the team here, concerns continue to pop up.
"Just traffic - traffic's a major concern in this city. I'm pretty sure any kind of development that happens with the stadium, they'll address streets, new turn lanes," says Armando Castillo, lives nearby.
Precourt says their proposal will address that, as well as sound, light and environmental issues.
"What's great about this site, is it's a multi-mobile transportation venue. That means you can get here in so many ways: bus, rail, you can drive, you can park remotely and walk, you can take a ride share, you can ride your bike," says Greeley.
Some businesses in the area are looking forward to how they will prosper. The assistant manager of the Sunoco on Braker Lane says the stadium will sit right behind their building.
"Even a game just once a week, that's going to bring a lot of business. That is hundreds of people and I mean, it's exciting. I love soccer myself," says Ali Talbi, assistant manager, Sunoco on Braker Ln.
Precourt hopes to figure out a letter of intent with the city by July 1st, in order for the team to play in Austin in march of 2019. They are prepared to give the stadium to the city and are prepared for the city to continue to own the land.
"I think people are slowly but surely understanding that the city is not giving us the land for free. This city is doing a merit-based partnership with us, where there will be a lot in return for the city and its residents because we recognize the residents of Austin own this land. It's our hope to make this 24-something acre site better than it is right now. Again, it's been sitting empty for 25 years," says Greeley.
Precourt is privately funding the stadium. If everything goes through, they expect for it to be completed by Spring 2021. They would need to find a temporary stadium in the meantime.